"As mayor, I have no authority, but I have a voice. I'm allowed to speak about the many good things that are going on in a town with a lot of good people and a hard working city government. It allows me to have a great deal of fun and being mayor is the best thing I have ever done," said Carey making a quick exit to get back to his Skyview classroom before the bell.

It's been a busy six weeks since the Mayor first assumed his official duties, and in that time he has been painting the town red, white, and blue; at least the fire hydrants. Carey chose to offer the community an opportunity to honor our local living heroes while grieving for the loss of those in the September 11th attacks. With the help of his public works department he quickly organized a community painting party that turned the City's 300 some fire hydrants red, white, and blue in a little more than 48 hours. Now he is arranging to have the proposed new Soldotna Bridge named after David Douthit, who gave his life ten years ago in Desert Storm.

"I had a constituent ask me at Safeway if I'd consider having the new bridge named after David. I started working on it and found out it wasn't a real difficult thing. So with the Council's support we are asking the state to name the bridge the David Douthit and Veterans Memorial Bridge," said Carey. Representative Lancaster will take the proposal to the legislature in the coming session according to Carey.

The Mayor will continue his red, white, and blue theme with the holiday lighting of Parker Park on December 7th, the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. "We're going to light the park in patriotic colors. I'm asking the community to help by making waterproof red, white, and blue ornaments and we're all going to decorate the park with the help of HEA so that we can all remember how nice it is to live in a free country," said Carey.